Talisman
by wingedsilverfang222
Summary: At this point. In their situation. It seems impossible, a pipe dream. But there is nothing they want more than this impossibility. They want to go back - back to the start where it all began.
1. chapter 1

_"You're a fool."_

 _"Your point?"_

 _"No, seriously. Naruto, you're making a mis- are you even listening to me?!"_

 _"Of course I am... what were you saying?"_

 _"NARUTO!"_

 _"Calm down," ink flows like black rivers across the Rocky ground and he wipes a hand across his forehead in a weak attempt to deter some gathering sweat "I know what I'm doing - everything'll be fine!"_

 _"I can't believe yo- why? Why are you still trying Naruto? If something like this could be achieved than we would have done it years ago!"_

 _Uzumaki Naruto stands, blue eyes which were previously dulled with loss and bad memories alight with a new and intense spark of naked hope._

 _This will be it, his last chance and his final stand. If this does not work... no, it has to, he refuses to even consider the alternative._

 _It's easy, second nature really, to internalize his thoughts and bring forth a great tsunami of chakra that permeates the air around him, sinking into the ground in the nearby vicinity and setting the ink - specially made to conduct chakra for fuuinjutsu - ablaze with a haunting glow. He feels a stirring in his subconscious as Kurama - brave, strong Kurama - sends as much of his own natural chakra as he can. Not much, in comparison to what he would have been able to do years, or even months back, but appreciated all the same._

 _" Hey - Kakashi-sensei..."_

 _The glow intensifies even further, much to Hatake Kakashi's shock, and the strain is beginning to show as Naruto grits his teeth. The blonde's limbs shake with the effort of simply holding himself upright and blood begins to leak out of his ears and nose._

 _Kakashi wants so desperately to move, to drag his student away from the array, to protect what little he has left, but-_

 _" run "_

 _-it's already to late._

 _ ***BOOM***_

 **XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

"OYYYYYYY! If you want any breakfast you brats better get your asses down here right now or so help me I'll-!"

The sun was too bright and the mattress he was laid out on was one of the _most_ uncomfortable things he had _ever_ had the dubious pleasure to lay upon.

The Matron's voice was shriller than any alarm clock he had ever had the opportunity to own ( and later break ).

The creaking of the stairs as the stampede of kids ran towards their breakfast was uncomfortably loud. And the rancid stench of an orphanage full of partially malnourished children was overwhelming to his sensitive nostrils.

Uzumaki Naruto wasn't happy, not by a long shot. There was so much to be done and so little time before everything began to crumble at the seams, so little time of he wanted to save _everyone_.

But it had worked - he was back and he could. No. He would do it. He would succeed, where before he had failed.

And so he rolled over in his creaky little orphanage-approved bed and breathed in a deep sigh of satisfaction with an edge of accomplishment.

In that moment one would find it very difficuly to find a happier little jinchuuriki than he.


	2. Chapter 2

_His leg is broken._

 _His leg is broken and Kurama is trying, but the bjuu is too weak to even talk right now, let alone re-set and heal a bone._

 _He feels as the demon sends impulses, emotions projected from the fox to reach his brain. Guilt is prominent, but anger lingers and Naruto is quick to send an answering impulse of his own, trying his best to soothe his friend and convey his appreciation for the Kyuubi's continued support._

 _His only constant in this new world of hate and fear and death._

 _Unfortunately, friendship won't heal a broken bone. But he knows that he should be glad that it's a clean break. If it had shattered? He would be dead already._

 _Luckily enough for him he is near the secondary meeting point, half a mile at the most, and once he gets there everything will be fine. They'd drafted Haruno in for this operation and, as much as personal grudges lead to awkward conversation, she is one of their best. At healing of course. Ever since Tsunad - no don't think about her - ever since their previous head healer the pinkette was their best healer._

 _The surrounding foliage is becoming thicker now and he is reassured by the more familiar landscape._

 _Forty metres now._

 _Thirty five._

 _Twenty._

 _Ten metres away._

 _He is almost there. So close -_

 _" found you "_

 _\- but not close enough._

 _._

 _._

 _._

 _He wakes later to a small room with white walls and almost panics before he recognises the head of grey hair at his bed side. The room is silent and cold save for the soft exhales of Kakashi and his own tenant. Naruto is unashamedly comforted by the heavy breathing of his two closest [remaining] confidants and allows himself to relax tight muscles, allows himself to drift into a world of darkness_

 _It had been a close call but he is alive and that's all that matters_.

 **XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**.

 _He does not get away from that particular encounter unscathed and his face is transformed into a patchwork quilt of scars. They manifest themselves as raw and bloody claw marks watched upon his upper arms, the circumference of his throat and across his eyes. Despite this, in a small rare stroke of luck his eyesight is not irreparably damaged and Kurama is able to completely heal the internal damage within a week._

 _They only ever ache, never truly painful, so he feels nothing more than apathy to their presence. In away he's actually quite proud of them because they remain as proof._

 _Proof that he survived_.

 **XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

Being six again was highly improbable and equally disorienting. Coordination became almost impossible as he continued to misjudge his capabilities, reaching for lengths he used to (would be able to?) reach with ease and tripping himself when he tried to recreate his past (future?) gait.

He hadn't tried to walk through the village yet. It's not that he was scared (he was terrified) he was just taking the time to get used to his new body first. That's all.

After all, it's not as if the orphanage was the most fun of places to be. He'd forgotten what it felt like to be so despised.

In the past (future?) everyone was simply to busy trying to stay alive to be bothered by petty things like hatred and boys with all powerful chakra beasts sealed inside of them. Thus the glares, harsh words and starvation were somewhat hard to deal with. It had only been four days back and he couldn't count the amount of times he'd just wanted to turn around and scream at the idiots.

(Why were they bothered by something that, ultimately, won't even matter?

Madara is somewhere out there scheming. Tobi is out there brooding and training. Hell Zetsu is somewhere out there sneaking about.

Can't they see who the real enemies are?)


	3. Chapter 3

_"I said I'm sorry_ _! What more do you want me to do Naruto?! How many times do I have say it before you believe me? What more do you want from me!"_

 _He doesn't speak, choosing instead to focus on the scroll in front of him. He rolls his sleeves up, wary of dislodging he ink placed precariously on the table corner and raises his brush in preparation-_

 _*bang*_

 _She bites her lips, eyebrows drawn down into a frustrated frown and ignores the ink now staining her hands._

 _His scroll is ruined._

 _"Naruto!"_

 _He doesn't look up. Doesn't want to meet her troubled green eyes._

 _(Accusing. Jealous. Hate. "IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT NARUTO")_

 _Doesn't want to see hair cut to her chin in a sharp unforgiving hairstyle. Pink strands dyed red with the blood of her patients_

 _(Long hair. Kunai. Falling stands. Becoming someone different, better. Lies)_

 _"LOOK AT ME!"_

 _A calloused hand grasps his chin and forces his face upward._

 _Green meets blue._

 _("Sakura-chan!" I love you. I believe in you. I mean it)_

 _Red meets green._

 _("You're a demon, aren't you? You couldn't even keep one pomise. Why shouldn't you be the one to-")_

 _Blue meets green._

 _("-sacrifice yourself?")_

 _"Leave me alone. Haruno._ "

 **XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

Seeing Konoha. Walking around Konoha. Being in Konoha. Is surreal and more than a little bit exhausting.

He had set out from the orphanage with the expectation of relearning the base layout of the village. After all it had been over 14 years since he had last been within the village boundaries.

(14 years since – dammit Naruto. Don't think about it)

It had been instinct (not muscle memory bit something similar) that led him to were he stood.

The memorial stone looked positively empty to him but the flowers lain out in front of the stone were irritatingly fresh.

In the future he recalled a name etched onto every available inch of stone and in later cases when there hadn't been enough room there had simply been numbers.

(Yamanaka Ino 579, Hyuga Neji 700, Inuzuka Kiba, 821)

The thought had been there but eventually the stone had become worthless – a hollow object with no meaning.

It hadn't been a source of pride and remembrance.

It had simply been a death register in another form.

So now, stood before it as he was, he wanted to laugh. Who would have thought a stone showing the names of the dead would fill him with such hope?

"Ah hello? What's a boy like you doing here?"

Naruto turned, innocent reply ready on the tip of his tongue only to freeze as he realised who exactly was talking to him. Panic spread through his veins like a wildfire as his blue eyes met the newcomers.

How could he be here - at this moment - was his luck that bad?

The spiky haired man cooked his head, scare creasing as he frowned slightly before focusing properly on Naruto. With wide eyes the man stepped back uncertainly.

"Y-you!"


End file.
